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At 73 years old, Chaka Khan doesn’t have to move around on stage like other women who could be her grandchildren, and whose performances are expected to feature singing and choreographed dancing at a minimum. To hear the Queen of Funk tell it, however, the women who do the “most physicalities” with their “butts” are overcompensating for a lack of talent.
Khan made the comments during a recent episode of Jessie Ware’s Table Manners podcast, where the host brought up a recent The Breakfast Club interview with tourmates Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. During that sitdown, LaBelle said it was important to “represent ourselves the right way” as Black women, without “pretend singing.” Mills added there were “no tricks” to their shows, similar to “back in the day.”
“You were all kind of commenting, When we go on stage, we just sing. We don’t need to do the bells and whistles. We don’t need to show our bodies,” Ware said. “Do you think that the demands have changed on female performers now, or do you think it’s always been there [and] you just haven’t played the game?”
In response, Khan said, “The game has changed because all bets are off. These women are doing any and every damn thing on stage and trying to sing, too. And the ones who are doing the most physicalities, with their butts and stuff, and their body parts, are the ones that usually are compensating for what they don’t have.”
Ware’s mother, Lennie, offered, “Move your bottom if you don’t,” before Khan continued, “[Have the] voice. Absolutely. I came to sing, and I came to really do a good job, and that’s hard work. I don’t feel like it’s hard work once I’m doing it. I feel great.”
Watch the full interview below. The relevant discussion begins around the 21-minute mark.
Khan didn’t name names, but it doesn’t take much effort to think of top-tier performers who are able to do elaborate dance choreography while belting out vocals. Even “back in the day,” the late Tina Turner was known for shaking it on stage while roaring through “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “Private Dancer,” “I Don’t Wanna Fight,” and any of her other hits.
And of course, Beyoncé has taken onstage physicality to the next level with her intricately produced shows, which include flying prop cars in addition to her second-to-none choreography. No one in their right mind would say P!NK can’t sing, either.
Speculating further is just asking for trouble, so we’re going to chalk this up to a certified legend having the privilege to just rely on her voice onstage and not having to even consider adding choreography to her shows.
Khan has also never been one to bite her tongue, once saying the Rolling Stone editors “must be the children of Helen Keller” in response to the publication’s “200 Greatest Singers of All Time” list.
If you’d like to catch Khan in person alongside Patti Labelle, Gladys Knight, and Stephanie Mills on their “The Queens: 4 Legends, 1 Stage” tour, they’re scheduled for a May run featuring stops in New Orleans, St. Louis, Houston, and more. Tickets are available for purchase here.
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